Dance Project L.A.

Choreographer Benjamin Millepied, a former New York City Ballet principal dancer, is attempting to bring a new dance company called L.A. Dance Project to prominence in a city known for multiple distractions -- dance not being one of the major ones. An ambitious, two-year (for now) project, the company has already started to appropriate works, like one culled from the late choreographer Merce Cunningham, and hopes to meld the different arts media. "The way companies have been doing it doesn't work anymore. To me, we're going to try to do our best to do interesting things, gather interesting artists and do projects that will not only be presented on the proscenium stage, but we want to go to where the young audience is," says Millepied.

Choreographer Benjamin Millepied, a former New York City Ballet principal dancer, is attempting to bring a new dance company called L.A. Dance Project to prominence in a city known for multiple distractions -- dance not being one of the major ones. An ambitious, two-year (for now) project, the company has already started to appropriate works, like one culled from the late choreographer Merce Cunningham, and hopes to meld the different arts media. "The way companies have been doing it doesn't work anymore. To me, we're going to try to do our best to do interesting things, gather interesting artists and do projects that will not only be presented on the proscenium stage, but we want to go to where the young audience is," says Millepied. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Choreographer Benjamin Millepied, a former New York City Ballet principal dancer, is attempting to bring a new dance company called L.A. Dance Project to prominence in a city known for multiple distractions -- dance not being one of the major ones. An ambitious, two-year (for now) project, the company has already started to appropriate works, like one culled from the late choreographer Merce Cunningham, and hopes to meld the different arts media. "The way companies have been doing it doesn't work anymore. To me, we're going to try to do our best to do interesting things, gather interesting artists and do projects that will not only be presented on the proscenium stage, but we want to go to where the young audience is," says Millepied.Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times